Black Rice with Lacinato Kale

Today you'll be making a dish with black rice and lacinato kale, an exciting and delicious option for a healthy whole grain dish.

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Today you'll be making a dish with black rice and lacinato kale, an exciting option for a healthy whole grain dish.

First, you're going to cut the kale into large pieces and then you're going to blanch the kale into some salted water. You precook the lacinato kale a little bit so it will be tender when you bite into it. All you have to do to blanch the kale is submerge it in boiling water, wait about 30 to 40 seconds and then remove the kale from the water and place it in a bowl. Let it cool so you can later squeeze out the excess water.

In order to prepare this dish, you have to precook some black rice, which is also known as forbidden rice and is one of the most nutritious rices you can eat. You will also be using some pine-nuts, which is a healthy fat, so it's great for a heart-healthy diet. The next ingredient is currants which are soaked. You'll also have some smoked paprika, which adds a nice smoky layer to the dish, some olive oil, another source of healthy fat, and finally some fresh mint.

Now you can move back to your kale and squeeze out the excess water from it. Then, place it on a cutting board so you can chop it into smaller pieces to add to the black rice.

Next, move onto the stove and in a pot with a little olive oil add in your kale, your black rice, the smoked paprika, some sea salt, the pine nuts, some dried currants, and finally the torn mint right over-top.

Now you're all set to try your dish! This is a great dish to bring to a potluck with your friends or to pack in lunches as well for the office as well! Enjoy!

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup black rice

⅓ cup pine nuts

⅓ cup currants (soaked)

Smoked paprika

1 bunch Lacinato kale

¼ cup mint

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1) Wash the rice. Place in a small pot with 2 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 50 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. Let stand for 10 minutes
2) While the rice is cooking, cut the kale into large pieces and blanch the kale. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Dunk the kale in the water for about 60 seconds and then remove and let cool. Squeeze out the excess water.
3) Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet and sauté the kale for a couple of minutes. Then add the currants, pine nuts and spices. Add the rice and toss to combine. Adjust olive oil and salt to taste, and add fresh mint to finish.
Serves 4